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Explore the adventures, perspectives, and philosophies of experienced world-travelers. Each episode dives deep into unique travel experiences, lifestyles not confined by a 9-5 job, stories of growth through challenges and adversity, and insights into living a more fulfilling, exciting, & intentional life. Open-minded, explorative, and no topic off limits, these conversations are a way to not only expand our worldview, but our understanding of our inner self and true potential.
Episodes
Thursday Nov 19, 2020
Running Lake Michigan Podcast (RLMP) #1 - Introduction
Thursday Nov 19, 2020
Thursday Nov 19, 2020
On this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast I introduce my next adventure: Running Lake Michigan!
Starting early 2021 (aiming for January), I am running over 1,100 miles around the perimeter of Lake Michigan in 36 days to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association.
Learn about the Why behind the run and details about the run itself. I also answer a few fan questions throughout the episode and at the end.
To learn more about the run, go to https://www.runninglakemichigan.com/.
You can also follow the journey on my Instagram, @leethornquist.
Thank you for listening!
Monday Aug 24, 2020
#31: Calendar Club Running Challenge - How & Why I Ran 505 Miles in a Month
Monday Aug 24, 2020
Monday Aug 24, 2020
You can find the full episode description and show notes at edgeofcomfort.com/eocp31/
"When I push, my body responds…How we talk to ourselves, what we say to ourselves, what we’re thinking, it makes all the difference." - Lee Thornquist
On this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast I reflect on running 505 miles in July 2020 to complete the Calendar Club running challenge and I answer questions from listeners regarding physicality, mentality, nutrition, and other aspects of the month.
Wednesday Dec 18, 2019
Wednesday Dec 18, 2019
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp30/
Sunday Dec 08, 2019
Sunday Dec 08, 2019
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp29/
On this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast, I share updates on the status of Edge of Comfort and my life from the last 6-7 months. This includes starting work at a luxury travel company, international and domestic travels, experimenting with a strict plant-based vegan diet, signing up for a 50-mile trail run, and more.
Monday May 06, 2019
Monday May 06, 2019
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp28/
"Build what you want to build, create the life that you want to create, and enjoy the fruits of your labors.”
- Celinne Da Costa
On this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast, Celinne Da Costa and I talk about her couch surfing trip around the world, completely changing her lifestyle and career to work from anywhere, how to gain clarity on your own story, and completing her latest personal challenge, 30 Days of Radical Rawness.
Celinne Da Costa (IG / TW / FB) is a brand story & life design coach for visionary leaders who want to master the art of storytelling so they can deeply connect with their audience, create a captivating brand that sells, and scale their business with impact.
In 2016, she left her unfulfilling corporate marketing career in New York City to become the architect of her own life. This meant crafting a story that allowed her to infuse every day with meaningful moments of human connection, internal space for self-discovery, and opportunities to pursue her passions… all while seeing the world.
Celinne’s mission is to create a life story that is full of joy, meaning, and purpose—and to empower you to do the same, so that you can manifest your life and business vision into a reality that fulfills you and inspires others.
Since leaving corporate America, Celinne has helped her 6 and 7 figure clients become confident leaders with powerful stories, influential brands, gain international media coverage, and thousands of raving followers.
Celinne graduated from University of Pennsylvania, is a master NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) Communication practitioner, and a certified Life, Social and Emotional Intelligence, and Motivational coach.
She has visited over 50 countries and now travels full-time while running her business. Celinne has been featured in major publications around the world, including Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Business Insider, and has a loyal community of over 50,000 dreamers following her adventures around the world.
Celinne’s story is fascinating and we could only get in to it a little bit today, so I highly encourage you to learn more about her at celinnedacosta.com.
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp28/
Sunday Apr 21, 2019
Sunday Apr 21, 2019
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp27/
"Trusting someone else is more of a reflection of whether or not you trust yourself to overcome any adversity." - Erin O'Neil, Author of Gui Ren.
On this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast I talk with Erin O’Neil, world-traveler and first-time author of the book, Gui Ren. Erin and I discuss her unexpected experiences from living in China, lessons from the Chinese phrase Gui Ren, and how a new side of life opens up when you are vulnerable and trusting.
Many recent university graduates feel immense self and external pressure to immediately go into the workforce and begin climbing the ladder of corporate America. Heck, getting a professional job and setting yourself up for new opportunities in life is the reason most people go to a university.
In other countries, people are encouraged to delay their entrance into the workforce to travel for an extended period of time, often referred to as a gap year.
People take these periods of exploration to experience more of the world, break from the bubble of their life and culture, expose themselves to new ideas and possibilities, and catalyze internal change and growth.
This doesn’t always happen and if it does, it happens in various degrees for each individual. But, most people feel some sort of change, growth, or self confidence from an extended journey.
My guest today, Erin O’Neil (@_itsonmylist), decided to adopt a variation of the gap year mentality when she moved to China right after graduation for what was supposed to be a 6-month work experience in Shanghai. I say supposed to be, because things didn’t quite go as planned.
Erin O’Neil is an enthusiastic digital storyteller and conversationalist with a serious case of wanderlust. By the time she turned 23, she had visited 22 countries on 4 different continents.
But, perhaps the most life-changing adventure for Erin was living alone in China for 6 months.
Despite the culture shock, severe language barrier, and struggle to figure out how chopsticks work, Asia taught her how to trust herself and create a world in which authenticity, mindfulness, and vulnerability were the only survival tools she needed.
Upon returning, Erin devotes her time to sharing stories from abroad and life lessons in travel. She is currently finishing writing her first book entitled, Gui Ren. Gui Ren is a written Chinese phrase that encompasses the right people coming into your life with synchronicity to help guide and inspire you.
Her book Gui Ren, which her editor described as an Eat, Pray, Love for millennials, is a narrative devoted to illustrating moments of phenomenal connection and celebrating the lessons learned through travel. It’s an immersion into the comedic reality of navigating a world without verbal communication, finding stability and routine in an unfamiliar world, and abandoning comfort zones to catalyze personal growth and adventure.
Erin writes about many of her adventures and lessons of Gui Ren, including topics like trust, vulnerability, friendship, and connection, on her blog Out Collecting Stamps. Erin also speaks about her experiences at local libraries near Columbus Ohio and gives helpful tips for traveling and navigating life abroad.
You can also watch these talks on her website, OnMyList.org.
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp27/
Monday Apr 08, 2019
#26: 90 Days of Sobriety and a 30-Mile Trail Run
Monday Apr 08, 2019
Monday Apr 08, 2019
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp26/
On this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast, I share stories, lessons, and insights from two of my recent life challenges: staying completely sober for 90-days, and completing a 30-mile trail run.
"Use your sober period as an opportunity to become aware and understand what you use alcohol for…I’ve used it to cover up weaknesses, pain, or other areas of my life I know I should work on but ignore."
In the past few years of my life, I’ve held two beliefs that I rarely, if ever, questioned:
- Alcohol is a necessary part of weekends and social life
- I am not a runner, nor do I have any desire whatsoever to run anything more than a 5k.
Inspired by recent podcast conversations and listening to other people’s stories of their challenges, I started to think of ways I could challenge myself and seek discomfort.
Two possibilities popped into my head right away.
The first was my relationship with alcohol and how abundant it is in many of the social situations I engage in and seek. Nearly every weekend involved drinking. I felt I was becoming disconnected and distracted from some real personal and professional work I wanted to do.
Previously, I did two separate months of sobriety and enjoyed these experiences, but they felt too quick. Like I was just scratching the surface of a different form of introspection. I thought this could be an interesting area to explore more.
The second area I wanted to challenge involved the physical realm and my commitment to truly testing myself, finding and breaking through my perceived limits, and learning to not give in to bullshit excuses. In September and October of 2018, I completed my first two half-marathons and felt like I was beginning to go down this road. Similarly to my month periods of sobriety, I was just scratching the surface and had a lot to discover and learn.
What really moved my commitment to these challenges took shape in the form of the question, “What would happen if…?”
What would happen if I was completely sober for three months? Not a drop of alcohol (or any other drugs, for that matter). What would happen to my physical, mental, and spiritual health? Would I still seek the same experiences, activities, or people? Would I be more productive? Gain more clarity and connection to my self?
What would happen if I set out to run a distance I had previously thought unimaginable? Would I stay committed to the process and training? Would my body even be able to handle that amount of distance? What the hell would I think about during a 30-mile run? Would I experience pain and adversity, and be able to push through it, like so many of my idols?
Once these ideas came into my head I couldn’t shake them. I didn’t want these ideas to be another “What if” in my life instead of actually trying.
I was also excited because I felt these two challenges would help me better understand myself. My thoughts, habits, stories I tell myself, beliefs I hold, and my perceived limitations. They would rip me out of my comfort zone and force me to look at things in a way not previously possible.
In late 2018, I decided that from January 1st to April 1st, 2019, I would remain completely sober. I also decided I would train and attempt to run 30-miles in one shot by the end of March.
My sights were set, I was excited for what was to come and what I would learn along the way, and the challenges began.
Thank you for listening and enjoy!
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp26/
Sunday Mar 24, 2019
Sunday Mar 24, 2019
You can find the full show notes and description at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp25
On this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast, I talk with Elisa Kurylowicz of the blog and podcast, Elisa Unfiltered: Living Life Out Loud. We talk about her life on the Canadian Freestyle Mogul Team, how she gained and then lost 85 pounds, identity, how to develop awareness and live in alignment with your essence instead of ego.
Elisa Kurylowicz (IG / Blog) is a former elite skier turned entrepreneur and founder of the blog / podcast, Elisa Unfiltered: Living Life Out Loud.
For 8 years, Elisa was a member of the Canadian Freestyle Mogul Team on the World Cup Tour. For as long as she could remember, her dream was to compete as an Olympian. She spent her youth traveling all over the world to ski, and spent 11 years of her life in hotels.
In 2006, Elisa narrowly missed qualifying for the Olympics, shattering her Olympic dream and identity. This subsequently sent her into depression, picking up some unhealthy habits and gaining 85 pounds in a year.
I’m happy to say this is not where her story ends. Elisa was aware of the dark place she entered, knew she needed help and was determined to change her life.
Over the following years, with a lot of hard work and other techniques, Elisa turned her life around and started anew. She lost the weight, unlearned beliefs and habits that were not serving her, began to talk to herself in a more loving and worthy way, and not let fear or her comfort zone determine her path.
Elisa founded her blog and podcast, Elisa Unfiltered, where she shares life experiences, challenges faced, and inspirational stories from her discovers in life. She also shares stories of other fascinating people (like Julian DeSchutter from episode 22) to help and connect with people who feel stuck and want to make a shift in their life.
Elisa helps people live their best life and learn how to make good decisions for their unique situation. She believes you don’t need to take over the world, but need to find inner peace within you and the world is yours.
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp25/
Sunday Mar 10, 2019
Sunday Mar 10, 2019
You can the find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp24
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How Raj built a profession around advising startups, teaching yoga, podcasting, and rapping.
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The importance of storytelling in Raj’s life and his pursuits.
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How Raj went from being “meh" about yoga to loving it and becoming a teacher
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#HAMILflow - Raj’s creation and hybrid between the Hamilton musical and a yoga class.
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Dealing with the external and internal voices throughout life.
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp24/
Sunday Feb 24, 2019
Sunday Feb 24, 2019
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp23
“Right now, we are living in the golden age of cheap flights. It has never been cheaper to fly from the U.S. over to Europe or Asia than it is today.” - Scott Keyes, Co-Founder & CEO of Scott's Cheap Flights
On this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast I talk Scott Keyes, the Co-Founder and CEO of Scott’s Cheap Flights. We discuss how he scaled Scott’s Cheap Flights, future areas of focus, how to find cheap airfare, mistake fares, and everything else cheap flights we could fit into an hour.
Most travelers today spend hours and hours scouring the internet for good flight deals. At some point, you've been told Tuesday is the best day to buy flight tickets. You’ve probably found extremely cheap airfare, only to have it disappear 30 minutes later.
Overall, travelers encounter many unexplainable or frustrating experiences when finding and booking flights.
On today’s episode I talk with Scott Keyes (FB / IG / TW), who is the Co-Founder and CEO of Scott’s Cheap Flights. In our conversation, Scott helps debunk some of these rumors and explain different details, best practices and other tips for cheap flights in today’s airline industry.
Scott’s Cheap Flights is not a travel agency or search engine, but a membership service that alerts you through email every time crazy flight deals pop up.
A team of flight experts are located around the world constantly finding cheap flights. When they do find these fares, they email them to members along with departing cities, destinations, dates, how long they expect the deal to last, and how to book.
To date, they’ve helped members save over $100 million dollars on airfare. I’ve received their emails for the last few months and can definitely attest to the fact they find insane deals.
Scott started sharing flight deals in 2013 after finding a roundtrip deal from NYC to Milan for $130. He started sending deals to a few friends, who added their own friends, and eventually he was sending emails to around 5,000 people. He realized he had something special and decided to go full-time with Scott’s Cheap Flights.
Today, Scott's Cheap Flights sends deals to over 1,600,000 free and premium members.
Scott has traveled to 45 countries and 45 U.S. states. He has lived in Mexico, Mozambique, Chile, all over the U.S. and currently lives in Portland. He was featured on Entrepreneur’s 50 Most Daring Entrepreneurs of 2017 along with people like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.
Thank you for listening and hope you enjoy!
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp23
Sunday Feb 10, 2019
Sunday Feb 10, 2019
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp22/
Sunday Jan 20, 2019
Sunday Jan 20, 2019
Find the full episode show notes and links at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp21
Matt Wilson (@mattwilsontv) is the co-founder and CEO of Under30Experiences (@under30experiences), a travel company providing adventurous travel opportunities for young adults.
Before starting Under30Experiences, which you might know from episode #17 with Lindsey Dukes, Matt was the co-founder of Under30CEO.com. Under30CEO is a site that helps young entrepreneurs get the tools, resources, information, guidance and more to successfully run their own companies.
In 2016, after about 8 years and 30 million page views, Matt and his co-founder Jared O’Toole sold Under30CEO to Rich20Something. Part of the reason for the sale was so Matt and Jared could work full-time on U30X.
U30X provides authentic cultural trips and experiences for small groups of people generally between the ages of 21-35.
The company is growing fast and was named #801 on the 2018 Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private companies in America.
Matt is also the host of the Live Different Podcast, which focuses on inspiring conversations about cutting edge mental and physical techniques to help people live beyond the status quo. The podcast aims to help people grow their business, get in better shape, perform at their peak, and have fun in life.
To date, the podcast has 139 episodes, over 50 5-star ratings on iTunes, and incredible guests like Gary Arndt, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, AJ Vaynerchuk, Arthur & Pauline Frommer, and Tucker Max.
Beyond his podcast, Matt’s work is published on Forbes, Inc. Magazine, Huffington Post, Reuters, Under30CEO and other notable sites. Matt travels and lives throughout the world as a digital nomad, hosts his own yoga and fitness retreats, and is a shareholder of the Green Bay Packers.
Sunday Dec 16, 2018
Sunday Dec 16, 2018
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp20/
Dane Thomas Bergman (@danethomasbergman) joins the podcast from Australia to discuss how to create a better lifestyle among many other topics.
Dane is a lifestyle enthusiast, certified personal trainer, adventurist, long-term world traveler, seeker of the extraordinary, and more.
He is constantly on the search to make life better, more fulfilling and more adventurous. At its core, Dane's message promotes being in love with your life, harnessing your passions and sharing them with the world. And, he understands this isn’t something that just falls into your lap.
After high school, Dane played three years in the Australian rules Football League. Starting in 2008, he traveled for 10 years to nearly 40 countries on five continents.
He worked along the way to fund his travels and has gone on some incredible adventures. One of these was cycling around the entire country of Iceland, which we somehow don’t even discuss.
Currently in Australia, Dane tries to source his food locally as often as possible. This means he forages for plants, fruits and spear fishes in the ocean in order to catch fresh fish for meals.
Dane was previously vegetarian for 18 months and then switched to vegan for the following 18 months. He recently introduced eggs and fish back into his diet, which he explains his reasoning behind.
Dane is constantly trying to push the envelope in all aspects of his life to make a positive impact in the health, happiness and quality of life of everyday people around the world. This can be broken down into four main areas of Self, Wealth/Work, Love, and Legacy.
He writes about these topics to help people learn and make changes in their lives on his website, The Lifestyle Empire. From the website, The Lifestyle Empire Creed is:
"To positively impact the lives of individuals and families by creating a resource and community that cultivates an optimal and successful lifestyle. The Lifestyle Empire aims to educate, inspire and teach through first-hand experience and an ever growing understanding of the world, while always remaining open to change and never set in our ways."
As part of this empire, Dane is currently working on a 12-week online lifestyle warrior program. This course is designed to help men reinvent their physiques, mindset, and lifestyle, which will be released in the next few months.
Head to https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp20/ for the full episode description and show notes.
Sunday Dec 09, 2018
Sunday Dec 09, 2018
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp19/
Sarah Attar (@sarahattar) is a a two-time Olympian and a professional runner with the Mammoth Track Club and On Running in Mammoth Lakes, California.
In 2012 at the Olympic Games in London, Sarah represented Saudi Arabia as one of their first-ever female Olympians. Also at this time, she just finished her sophomore year in college.
Since her first Olympics, Sarah continues to pursue her passion of running, while sharing it with others and inspiring many people around the world. She ran in the Rio 2016 Olympics, completing her 10th marathon, and is currently training for Tokyo 2020.
Sarah recently completed the Chicago Marathon in October 2018. This marked her 11th marathon and a new personal record of 03:07:16.
Other notable achievements include:
- Being featured on a Boston Marathon Banner
- Making the cover of Women’s Running Magazine, highlighted as one of the 10 most powerful women in running.
- Being featured and having her own works published in multiple media outlets, including Field Mag and She Explores.
Whether it’s photography, writing, or another creative outlet, Sarah finds inspiration from the landscapes she runs through, and utilizes this to fuel her art.
Sarah experiences running as a moving meditation in many forms and she loves tapping into this rhythm out on the roads and trails.
Our conversation covers a wide range of topics and Sarah shares a lot of valuable insights from her life. Whether or not you enjoy running, I guarantee you will learn something new from our conversation.
Thank you for listening and enjoy!
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp19/
Sunday Dec 02, 2018
Sunday Dec 02, 2018
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp18/
On today’s episode we are joined by professional photographer and global traveler Geoff Lister (@geofflister), who lives in Vancouver.
How did this lifestyle and career start for Geoff? From his website:
"The first time I picked up a real camera, the kind with lots of buttons and a big lens, was in Hawaii. I was eight years old. My father took the strap and wrapped it around my neck, placed the body in my hands and told me to hold it straight.
I still fail to follow that last piece of advice on a regular basis (thank God for the crop tool). It took me until I was sixteen to save up for my first digital body, I bought it at a SkyTrain Station in Vancouver on my way to Nicaragua. The addictive force that has compelled me to give up sleep, time and money, move to the big city. After completing a marketing degree at the University of British Columbia, I made it my job. I couldn’t be happier.
My younger brother is now in possession of that first camera. I hope it serves him as well as it served me.”
Since making photography his job, Geoff has photographed events such as:
- College football finals
- Backcountry pheasant hunts (one of my personal favorites)
- Wild grizzly bears
- DJ sets (such as Steve Aoki)
- Riots in the streets of Vancouver
- and other exciting things all around the world.
Running his own full-time photography business, Geoff has worked with universities, companies, press, skiers, kite boarders, couples, and many more people.
I highly encourage you to check out some his work on his website or Instagram.
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp18/
Sunday Nov 18, 2018
Sunday Nov 18, 2018
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp17/
What's up fellow millennials?!
Guess what? We are changing the reasons and ways people travel.
Consequently, we are also impacting how companies tailor to our styles and help us explore the world.
On today’s episode we are joined by Lindsey Dukes (@dukeslindsey), whose life-changing travels started with one of these companies, Under30Experiences (U30X).
Not only did Lindsey take multiple trips with Under30Experiences, but was later hired as a full-time marketing employee.
In addition, she now helps with building community and leading experiences in places like Bali, Ireland, Italy, Spain, France, and Thailand.
However, Lindsey's life was not always so adventurous and global. For a while she worked in a corporate job, lived a “checkbox” life, and kept her true passions as hobbies.
From the outside, there was no reason to think she wasn't happy or fulfilled.
In reality, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this lifestyle wasn’t her truth. She believed the world had much more to offer and explore.
Facing these feelings and telling her true desires to the universe, the world presented her with an opportunity to leave her job. Lindsey took her chance, booked trips to Bali and Iceland with Under30Experiences, and transformed her life.
Our conversation hits on a wide-range of subjects, from her experiences with U30X to deeper life topics. I truly think there’s something for everyone in here.
Thank you for listening and enjoy!
Read the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp17/
Sunday Nov 11, 2018
Sunday Nov 11, 2018
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp16
If you had a week off from work how would you spend your time?
Your answer might be a little different from what Oline Sørensen (@scandi_oline) decided.
With seven days off from work, Oline set out alone to walk from London to Paris.
Before reaching her goal of standing on top the Eiffel Tower, she had to face 380 kilometers (236 miles), sketchy country roads, eerie forests, swollen / blistered feet, and much more.
Why would anyone do something like this?
Oline believes you can do anything you set your mind to. After walking 50 kilometers around London one day, she thought bigger and decided to put this mindset to the test.
She also walked to raise awareness and money for mental health, with all donations going to the mental health charity, Mind.
Our conversation goes way beyond Oline’s walk. She opens up about her past mental health battles and shares deep personal insights from her own experiences.
Read the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp16
Sunday Oct 28, 2018
Sunday Oct 28, 2018
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp15/
Daniel James (IG: @danflyingsolo) is obsessed with exploring the world and meeting amazing people while getting as lost as possible with his camera.
Dan just returned from a 1467 day trip around the world which saw him living and working in different countries whilst creating a new career all around travel.
In 2014, Dan decided to pursue a life of adventure and exploration full-time. He left his career in the hospitality and restaurant industry to travel the world and share his experience through his blog, DanFlyingSolo.
Along the way, he taught himself photography and videography to capture his adventures and share on Instagram / YouTube. He also learned web design and worked from his laptop at night to help fund his travels.
Dan loves to travel solo (if you didn’t catch that from his blog name), immerse himself in new cultures, connect with people from all walks of life, and find off the beaten path destinations.
Dan’s story is an incredible example of sacrifice, hard-work, and following your passions.
He now creates content with different travel and media companies all over the world. He was one of seven people selected as a Lonely Planet Pathfinder, which means he regularly goes on assignment and creates quality material for the Lonely Planet global audience.
He is also starting a digital media company in Portugal, where he currently lives.
Read the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp15/
Monday Mar 19, 2018
Monday Mar 19, 2018
You can find the full description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp14/
Excitement and adventure take many shapes and forms.
Some people fulfill this through something like camping or trying an exotic food. For Henk van Dillen, he fulfills his adventurous side a bit differently.
For example, some of the things Henk has done include:
- Cycling 16,000 kilometers from Rotterdam, Netherlands to Singapore over the course of a year.
- Skateboarding through Scotland and India.
- Cycling for over 30 days in the Russian Arctic Circle during the middle of winter.
Henk van Dillen is a global adventurer and blogger on topics like travel, personal growth, and living a life of adventure without breaking the bank.
He believes anyone can live an adventurous life without much money or the best equipment. He proved just how possible this belief was in 2015 when he set out on a journey to cycle 16,000 kilometers from Rotterdam, Netherlands to Singapore.
Listen to our interview to hear his full story and upcoming adventure cycling in the Russian Arctic Circle.
Read the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp14
Monday Feb 26, 2018
#13: Exercising and Healthy Living While Traveling - Phillip Louie
Monday Feb 26, 2018
Monday Feb 26, 2018
You can find the full description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp13
Balancing health and exercise is a difficult task for many long-term travelers.
How do we indulge in the foods and drinks of a culture without destroying our bodies? Or, erasing what we’ve done health wise before traveling?
Healthy living might not be your main focus if your trip is only a week or two. But, what happens when you’re traveling for a long period of time like six months or more? You don’t want to ignore your body, mental health, and eat like crap for every meal.
How do we maintain and improve our physical health, eating habits, mentality, and spirit without equipment or consistent areas to practice?
Phillip Louie from Episode 12 joins the podcast to explore these questions.
Read the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp13
Sunday Jan 21, 2018
Sunday Jan 21, 2018
You can find the full episode description, show notes, and links at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp12/
This episode focuses on the world of Workaway and other exciting travel topics.
Our discussion takes place while volunteering at the WaGaLiGong Surf Hostel & Bar in Dulan, Taiwan. We were able to land this opportunity thanks to the website, Workaway.
Workaway is a platform to connect people (mostly travelers) with hosts. From their website, "It's the world's leading community for volunteering, working, and cultural exchange."
This helps people explore an area for cheap. Accommodations and meals, which are often a traveler's largest expenses, are provided in exchange for work.
Our discussion does get a bit random…Some of the topics we discuss include:
- Drug legality in different countries.
- What is Workaway? Why should you volunteer while traveling?
- Effective outreach messaging for Workaway and Couchsurfing.
- Dealing with fear through visualization while hitchhiking across Canada.
- Developing self-awareness.
Head to https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp12/ for the full episode description, show notes, and links.
Monday Jan 15, 2018
Monday Jan 15, 2018
You can find the full episode description, show notes and links at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp11/
"Live in the moment. Be a 'Yes Man.' Be aware of your limits but also push your limits."
- Jason Patrick Irish
Jason Patrick Irish (@jason.patrick.irish) is a professional backpacker, global “Yes Man,” and world explorer who creates his own opportunities, which has allowed him to visit 119 countries and counting.
After graduation from university in 2009, Jason applied to a few odd jobs around the world. One of these was teaching English in South Korea. He received an offer, accepted, and moved across the pond.
Teaching English in South Korea - which was only supposed to be a year gig - he built up sufficient funds and began backpacking. He departed on his journey and didn't stop until his money ran out, which then brought him back to South Korea to teach again.
He continued this process a few times and grew his love for both teaching and backpacking. Jason has now visited 119 countries with no plans of stopping anytime soon.
His backpacking adventures have taken him to:
- Every country in Europe but one
- The Mount Everest Base Camp in Nepal
- Living with a tribe in the heart of the Amazon for a week
- Small countries you’ve likely never heard of,
- and other incredible places.
Read the full episode description, show notes, and links at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp11/
Sunday Dec 17, 2017
#10: Ten Day Silent Meditation Retreat - Jan Illner and Yannick Klijnsma
Sunday Dec 17, 2017
Sunday Dec 17, 2017
“Everything we have, everything that is existing, is just right now. Here in this second. Everything else, the future and the past, we are just constructing with our mind."
Ten days of silence.
No cellphones or electronics. No reading, writing, Netflix, or any other external stimulation.
Ten days of practicing meditation.
Sitting cross-legged on a small cushion, walking slower than a sloth, and chanting unknown phrases in Thai.
Surrounded by strangers but not asking typical questions like, “Where are you from?" or "How are you doing today?”
Not interacting more than a smile, frown, or casual, “What’s up” head nod.
This is the setting Jan Lachs and Yannick Klijnsma lived in for ten days at Wat Ram Poeng in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
On today’s episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast, my co-host Jack Lewis and I talk with Jan and Yannick about their eye-opening meditation retreat despite them having no prior experience, practice or knowledge.
“Why the hell would anyone do this?”
This is what my father texted me when I asked friends, family, and listeners if they had any questions for Jan and Yannick. While it made me laugh, it’s a valid question.
Why would anyone willingly subject themselves to 10-days of silence and deep thinking despite never doing something like this before?
With a daily schedule that involves things like...
- waking up at 4:00am
- eating two spicy rice-based meals
- questioning every thought and feeling you have
- appearing as if you are part of a cult
you’ll probably ask yourself this question again.
I’ll try to answer this without spoiling too much of the podcast.
Thoughts are constantly flowing through our minds day in and day out. Thoughts can distract us from the present moment and people we are with. They can cause us to suffer in imagination. They can seem like a never ending trail in our minds, like water flowing through a river.
Our thoughts can also be beneficial in our examination and understanding of ourselves. Understanding why we feel certain ways, experience different emotions, and recognizing when we are unfocused or distant.
Meditation serves to help us better understand these internal and mental feelings. To let the mind relax from the constant flow of thoughts, to regain focus, recharge, and allow us to examine ourselves.
What better way to do this then by removing everything that takes us away from ourselves so we are forced to begin this examination?
Thus, a ten day silent meditation retreat.
Jan and Yannick expand on this much better than I can. Jack and I both walked away from the interview feeling like we’d discovered a whole new realm in the world.
I hope your mind will be opened up as well.
Thank you so much Jan and Yannick for sharing, and thank you for listening!
Relax your mind, relax your body, focus on your breath, and enjoy the episode...
Tuesday Dec 12, 2017
#9: Sahan - Perspectives From Growing Up and Living Around the World
Tuesday Dec 12, 2017
Tuesday Dec 12, 2017
In this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast I talk with my friend Sahan during a return trip to Singapore.
While some might dub Austin Powers the "International Man of Mystery”, this title is actually better suited for Sahan.
Answering the question, “Where are you from?” is often difficult for him to answer.
Sahan was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, moved to New Jersey and then Iowa all before he was four years old. Next, he moved across the world to Kyoto, Japan for kindergarten and first grade.
Sahan then lived in Sri Lanka, where his heritage originates, for the next three years of grade school.
In 2002, at the age of 9, Sahan’s family moved to Nairobi, Kenya. He spent most of his young life here for the next 10 years.
Upon graduation from high school in 2012, Sahan moved back to the U.S. to attend Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Arguably, the greatest university in the entire world. Totally unbiased opinion.
During university, he was accepted to the student exchange program at the National University of Singapore (NUS). This is where we met, forged our friendship, and returned to in our interview.
Shortly after graduation from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana, Sahan moved to New York City. He currently lives here and works in consulting.
So, let’s do a quick count…
Sahan has lived in nine different cities in five countries before turning 24! Maybe a bit different from the average person’s young life.
Frequently moving around seemed like the normal thing to Sahan. You’ll hear him discuss this and how it was a shock to discover most people have only lived one or two places in their lives.
Some of the other things we discuss in this episode include:
-
Unique perspectives gained from growing up in different countries
-
Why “follow your passion” might not be the best advice
- Social life without alcohol
- Exchange programs and international friends
- Living in a place versus visiting a place
- Traveling how you want to
Thank you for listening and enjoy!
Monday Dec 04, 2017
Monday Dec 04, 2017
You can find the full episode description, show notes, and links at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp8/
"Just because you don't know and aren't familiar with it, doesn't mean you should fear it...Try to understand how it's different and what's going on, because it's normal to someone else." - Sophia Iaquinta
While you met Sophia in Part 1 or our conversation, you didn't learn much about her background. Thus, we start by discussing more on Sophia’s story and insights from her travels.
After working as a nurse in a hospital Medical Intensive Care Unit for two years, she looked for other alternatives.
Particularly, alternatives that combined her passions for traveling and helping others.
This led her to apply for and accept a role with the Peace Corps in Guatemala starting February 2018.
Creating a window for four-months to travel before her start date, she packed her bags and began a solo trip around Asia.
In Part 2, some of the things we discuss include:
- Packing light and efficiently for months on the road
- Ensuring safety and diverting unwanted attention
- Trying to understand your fears
- Creating your own experiences
- Readapting into your home culture
and so much more.
Head to https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp8/ for the full episode description, show notes, and links.